We, tenants of 83 & 85 Bowery, Coalition to Protect Chinatown & the Lower East Side and supporters, are calling on slumlord millionaire Joseph Betesh, owner of Dr. Jay’s, to right his wrongdoings.

Over a year ago, Betesh tried to evict one of the tenants in attempt to push all of the long-time residents out. The tenants came together, vowing not to give up until they win. The tenants sued Betesh for nearly 200 housing repair violations, and the landlord has been ordered to complete them by June 20th or face contempt and possible arrest. The landlord has since dismissed the housing court eviction case against the tenant, and was told by the judge to cover the tenant’s lawyer’s fee. Still Betesh is delaying repairs, using the “deteriorating housing condition” as an excuse to sue all the tenants and kick them out of their homes, even though everyone knows he is losing the case.

Last month, at a court hearing, Betesh’s lawyer misled the public to believe they reached a settlement with tenants to give them 99-year-long rent-stabilized leases and not evict them. In actuality, Betesh disregarded the tenants’ engineer’s proof that the necessary court-ordered repairs can be done with them remaining in their homes, and insists on them moving out in order to complete the repairs. This is just another excuse to push for eviction.

We demand slumlord Betesh immediately:

Complete the court-ordered repairs with the tenants’ engineer’s supervision